OOSTENDE (FIBA Europe Cup) – Telenet Oostende will be counting on their Basketball Champions League experience when they meet Pau-Lacq-Orthez from neighboring France in the first round of the FIBA Europe Cup Play-Offs.

In spite of a relatively successful international campaign, the Belgian side were unfortunate enough to end up being the first team outside the Play-Offs with a 6-8 record in Group D and consequently transferred to the FIBA Europe Cup.

Although being the only fifth-place team not to advance to the knock-out stages in the Basketball Champions League was a tough pill to swallow, Dario Gjergja's side will now look to turn that chip on their shoulder into a positive. 

Meanwhile, Elan Bearnais fans have an unlikely 19-year-old hero in Elie-Franck Okobo to thank for the fact the Pau-Lacq-Orthez club is even in the Round of 16 after a turbulent Second Round.

One of the top prospects in the competition demonstrated his clutch gene by carrying the French side to an 81-78 victory to secure first place in Group O in a do-or-die clash against Alba Fehervar after the team's leader D.J. Cooper was thrown out of the game for two technical fouls in the fourth quarter.

Pau-Lacq-Orthez coach Eric Bartecheky will need his starting playmaker D.J. Cooper to keep a cool head in the knock-out stages, as his contributions of 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 2.3 steals might be difficult to compensate in the long run.

Antywane Robinson, Jean Mipoka-Likamba and Vitalis Chikoko all average double figures in points, while Elie-Franck Okobo, Alain Koffi and the team's newcomer Anthony Goods have plenty to offer as well.

For Oostende, the game revolves around the axis of Serbian big man Rasko Katic and American playmaker Chris Walden, with Pierre-Antoine Gillet, Jean Salumu, Khalid Boukichou and Marko Keselj also playing significant roles.

Katic is the team's leading scorer, averaging 13.9 points and 4.1 rebounds, while Walden is the only other player in double figures with 10.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Having reached the Round of 16 stage in the FIBA Europe Cup last year as well, Oostende were eliminated by Elan Chalon that time around. Will they get revenge against another French side this season?

FIBA